The Expansion Years (1975 - 1992)

Recent History
The Early Years (1927 - 1943) | Before the Fire (1943 - 1975)
The Expansion Years (1975 - 1992)

The Expansion Years

1975
The fire, which destroyed 75% of the plant, had left the remaining buildings untouched. Workers worked valiantly to save equipment. Weary workers were dismayed at the site. The then manager, William Vickers wrote "Your black smeared clothes and faces will remain in my mind for years to come. The staff were shattered emotionally; at the same time their silence was more terrible than weeping." This tragedy that fell upon us so unexpectedly will only serve to bind us in a more definite Co-operative spirit. The task of rebuilding was immediate."

In record time Northumberland began processing milk. In the fall of 1975, construction began on the shell of a new building; which would cover the remains of the old dairy.

Amid all these changes one thing remained constant since 1943, Northumberland Co-operative Limited was and is a co-operative.

1977
An office building was built on site.

1978
A freezer building was constructed to establish a Frozen Food Center.

The official opening of the new dairy facility. So much had been accomplished through the co-operation received from the staff during the very difficult circumstances following the fire and the resulting rebuilding. At this time the business was divided among several departments, much as it is today, including the processing of fluid milk into various dairy products, retailing hardware and building supplies, the feed business and the sales of frozen food products.

All the dairy products processed by the Co-op came from the Miramichi (formerly Newcastle) plant, which bought milk from some 300 milk-producing farmers. At this time the Co-op distributed about 22 million pounds of milk each year. The Co-op fleet of trucks totaled 33. Four of these were bulk tankers used to collect milk from farmers and the remainder was used to deliver to retail outlets and homes. A further number of trucks were being used by vendors. These vendors purchased milk from the co-operative and operated their own business. The Co-op employed 80-85 people.

1978-1988
The next ten years saw a great many changes in the development of Northumberland Co-operative. Always expanding, new construction was a regular part of life at the dairy. Increased technology, products changed and methods of production changed as well.

1947-1988
Manager of Northumberland Co-operative Limited, Mr. William Vickers retires. Mr. Vickers had been with the co-operative from its beginnings, and had served as Manager for over forty years.

1988
Mr. Jack Christie became the General Manager of Northumberland Co-operative Limited and remains in that position today.

1988-1993
This was a time of a great many developments and changes at Northumberland. Technological development of the computer system, reorganized management system, and increased emphasis to improve the quality of products were the first orders of business. Market expansion across the province continued.

1991
The purchase of Perfection and McKay Dairies significantly changed the size and complexity of the co-operative. Northumberland Co-operative, a major player in the provincial market, gained extensive distribution networks. Change continued, greater emphasis upon human resources, ongoing education and training of employees had become vital.

1992-Present
Product innovation, quality and technology remain at the forefront of the organization. Expansions to increase efficiency have continued in all divisions of the organization.